cotton at the center of each disk was so hard that it had almost be

come woven, like flattened-out rope. He said that the spinners would not have anything to do with the bale in its present shape. On the other hand, an official representative of the cotton trade here informs me that he has heard very good reports as to this bale. Certainly, the cotton gets here without any loss from defective baling or from "country damage.

Speaking generally, the trade of Liverpool would be perfectly satisfied with the square bale if it got here in good condition.

LIVERPOOL, September 29, 1898.

JAMES BOYLE,

Consul.

UNITED STATES PRODUCTS IN BRAZIL.

Consul-General Seeger sends from Rio de Janeiro, under date of August 30, 1898, translation of a letter from Mr. Othon Leonardos, jr., a prominent Rio merchant, in regard to the introduction of American products into Brazil. The letter reads, in part:

There is a large field here for the products of American industry. The two greatest impediments to the expansion of American trade in Brazil are poor transportation facilities and the want of direct representation of your manufacturers. As a rule, we have in Rio but two old and slow steamers a month from the United States, and their import trade with Brazil is so organized that there are no direct relations between the American manufacturer and the Brazilian merchant. Everything is done through more or less expensive commission men. The lack of an American bank here is also a general drawback. American manufacturers ought to have a bureau here in which there would be a permanent exposition of their products.

England, France, Germany, Portugal, Italy-all these countries have their lines of steamers and their banks here; their capital is being constantly invested in industrial and commercial enterprises. What does your country possess here? No line of steamers, no banks, no industrial enterprises; there is no investment of capital, with the exception of a few commercial houses.*

In regard to the merchandise handled by our house (Leonardos & Co.), I will relate my personal experience concerning articles of American manufacture. My efforts to introduce these goods in the Rio market have been very successful. Cut glass and molded glass are of importance, and I will speak of them first.

Cut glass from Fairpoint competes easily in quality and beauty with the English and French article. It is somewhat higher in price, but sells readily on account of its beautiful designs. The moldings and pressed glassware of certain American factories are as well made and as white as those we import from other countries; they are perhaps better, and, their price being lower, I think they will in time find a good market here. The same applies to bottles, jars, and other arti

*NOTE BY CONSUL-GENERAL.-Also the very successful establishment of the Diamond Match Company and the refinery of the Standard Oil Company, which latter, however, is not in operation now, on account of unfavorable tariff legislation.

cles used by druggists. I think they can easily compete with products from other countries.

American plated metals, silver and nickel plate, from the factories of Reed & Barton (Connecticut), Meriden Britannia Company, and others, are beginning to be favorably known in our markets, and, owing to their price, can well compete with the metals of Elkington, England; Christofle, Paris; Krupp, Austria; and others. I may remark, in this connection, that American plated ware pays only half the rate of duty that plated wares from other countries pay; copper entering into their composition, if at all, in a very small proportion. The importation of plated ware from the United States is susceptible of great development.

American petroleum lamps are not known here; but their quality is superior to those we import from Belgium and Germany. Their price is the same, or even lower.

I have thus given an account as far as my own line of business is concerned. As to other American products, they are beginning to be well known in our market, but as yet are not largely exploited, for the reasons I have mentioned above.

American leather, electrical appliances, photographic apparatus, agricultural implements, and all kinds of manufacturing machinery, bicycles, preserves, etc., are well known and greatly appreciated here. It only remains to strengthen the ties between our two countries, by improving means of communication, and securing for commerce and trade with the United States the proper representation here.

BICYCLES IN JAVA.

I have received so many inquiries lately from bicycle firms about business prospects here, that I deem the matter of sufficient interest to form the subject of a special report.

The use of bicycles, which a few years ago was unknown here, has within the last three years advanced tremendously. There are now, I estimate, between 3,000 and 4,000 bicycles in the Island of Java, and the number is, on the whole, increasing. Wheeling is confined entirely to Europeans, half-castes, and Chinese, the Arabs and natives not having taken it up. Elderly people do not ride, as they do at home, and women very little, as it is considered immodest for a girl over fifteen to ride a bicycle. I do not, therefore, recommend sending any ladies' wheels here.

About 60 per cent of the wheels in use here are cheap, and the majority of these cheap ones are German. This is due not only to the enterprise of the Germans, which has far surpassed that of any other country, but also to the fact that people here are very close and penurious, and always buy the cheapest article obtainable, regardless of quality.

Of the better grade of bicycles, nearly all are English. These were first in the field. They are very heavy and clumsy, and ought to be easily supplanted by our lighter and better-made machines.

There are distinct signs that a few people are appreciating the fact that it pays to buy a good wheel, and if that idea spreads (ideas are slow to spread here) our manufacturers should have a great opportunity.

Strange to relate, the most fastidious and the most willing to pay good prices are the Chinese, who are becoming enthusiastic bicyclists, as they are better able to stand the heat than Europeans.

Although the use of bicycles is spreading steadily all the time, the increase is not at the rate of two years ago. The reason for this is that when everyone who wanted a bicycle had bought one the demand at once ceased and has since been merely from newcomers or boys growing up. The idea of buying a new machine every year, as we do at home, is incomprehensible to people here, and the wheels they bought two or three years ago will be made to last until they drop to pieces.

The wear on wheels is not very great. Long-distance riding is unknown, although the roads everywhere are almost perfect. The sun, however, is hot, and the only time one can ride is for an hour in the early morning and about the same time in the evening. Riding at night, even with a lamp, is looked upon with disapproval and suspicion, though it is not prohibited. Consequently, with care, there is no reason why a wheel should not last ten years. In spite of all this, the bicycle dealers maintain that the business is increasing slowly, and they think that with proper effort a very large number of additional converts to bicycle riding could be made among the Chinese.

I am frequently asked to give the names of reliable importers who would act as agents for American firms. Aside from the hesitation I feel in recommending any particular firm in preference to others, I must emphasize the absolute uselessness of trying to arrange business of this sort by correspondence or circulars. waste of time and paper. To illustrate: Within the last two years, there have been sold a few American wheels of various makes, which were introduced through Dutch or English firms. They were sold more as curiosities or samples than anything else, were not of very good quality, so as to reflect credit on American manufacturers, and were sold by firms who were far more interested in pushing cheap German machines. Therefore, there is nothing to be hoped for in the way of increase of demand for them.

Recently, however, a certain American bicycle firm, having at last become impressed with the futility of circulars and correspondence, sent a man here to arrange agencies and terms. He has, in a month, been all over Java, and has been conspicuously successful in every city, not only in the quantity of wheels sold, but in the terms on

which he has sold them. Previously, the firm had sold very few and had no prospects. Now, I venture to assert that three-fourths of the new wheels of good quality sold within the next six months will be those of that firm, because they are being actively pushed; and the terms this American representative arranged with the agents here are such that it is to their interest to sell his wheels only.

The usual method in business here, hardly ever varied, is to ship goods to be sold on commission, credits being very long-ninety days, six months, and sometimes even a year. This American representative, however, by dint of talking and personal argument, has managed to arrange such terms that his company will get cash for every wheel it sells. This is unprecedented, and could never have been done in any way but by an American agent on the spot. He tells me that the prospects are bright for American bicycles, but that they must be energetically pushed or it will not be worth while trying.

As regards shipments, the best way is to ship via Liverpool, London, or Southampton, the two former preferably; thence by English steamer direct to Batavia. It is possible and easy to ship via Holland or via Singapore, but is far more expensive and is not recommended.

As regards details, there is not much to suggest. In the east of Java, people seem to like the steel rims; in the west, the wooden rims. I do not know why, for I think climatic conditions have little to do with it. Any kind of bicycle, if kept clean and in good order, will stand the climate very well.

Double-tube tires seem to be preferred, though there is no motive apparent, except that they are the fashion; and, as turned out by German firms, cheap-likewise worthless.

In my opinion, the kind of wheel it would best pay an American concern to push would be a good medium grade. It is hardly worth while just yet to try to sell the very best, as few people are willing to pay the prices. On the other hand, in the very cheap grades it is useless, as well as bad policy, to attempt to compete with the GerLet American goods be well made and honest, and, if properly pushed, they will surely find a market in an island where the roads are perfect and where there are 40,000 Europeans (including half-castes, who are officially called Europeans) and hundreds of thousands of Chinese.

mans.

The Dutch are very conservative, but once they give you their confidence and trade you have it for all time.

While I am always glad to answer questions and be of service, I wish here to reiterate the uselessness of writing me letters asking for addresses and sending catalogues. People here do not want

catalogues; they have been fooled too often. What they want is bicycles and men to talk to, who can do business with them face to face and explain the merits of their wheels.

Those companies who are not prepared to follow this advice had better put Java out of their minds and be content with markets nearer home. I may add that this advice applies to other things besides bicycles.

BATAVIA, August 25, 1898.

SIDNEY B. EVERETT,

Consul.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR AMERICAN TRADE IN GERMANY.

Excellent opportunities are being offered here for the importation of American tools, electric appliances, and all kinds of articles used in the construction and equipment of railroads, etc. Everywhere, from one end of the Empire to the other, lines are being opened, extended, or improved.

This city is just now contracting with the local electric line to extend its plant in four different directions. The new lines, when built, will be as long as, if not longer than, those now in use. For a long time city ownership was discussed; a committee was appointed to consider the matter. Siemens & Halske, the "Union," and others made bids; but it was finally deemed best to let the company make its own contracts and build the new lines.

It seems to me we might sell millions of marks' worth of the wooden parts for cars, as well as rails, wires, apparatus, etc. It is impossible for consuls to constitute themselves active agents of United States houses. The best they can do is to watch markets and point out possibilities to American merchants and manufacturers. If we "worked" this Empire and the whole Continent as carefully as Germans "work" the United States, from Portland, Me., to Portland, Oreg., our exports of tools and machinery here would swell. within a few years to double their present proportions. Only a few of the "bench men" know how much better are many of our tools and machines than those made in Germany. There is hardly a large house here which does not take our leading technical papers. How many American houses take German technical papers? And yet · better technical papers are published nowhere else in the world..

The superiority of many of our tools and appliances is acknowledged. Evidence of this fact is found everywhere in the fairly successful imitations made by machine builders in Mannheim, Magdeburg, Leipzig, Chemnitz, and Berlin. If imitation is the best flat